Air quality in Noida and Ghaziabad worsened slightly on Friday but remained in the 'very poor' category for the fourth straight day. Visibility stayed poor in the morning hours, ranging between 150 to 300 meters.
AQI Readings Show Consistent Decline
Noida recorded an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 363 on Friday, up from 344 on Thursday. Greater Noida's AQI shifted to 358 from 342. Ghaziabad saw a more significant jump, with an AQI of 376 compared to 321 the previous day. Delhi's AQI also rose to 354 from 343.
All four of Noida's air monitoring stations reported 'very poor' air quality. Sector 1 recorded the worst AQI at 377, followed by Sector 116 at 371. Sectors 125 and 62 both recorded an AQI of 352.
In Greater Noida, Knowledge Park V recorded an AQI of 379 while Knowledge Park III recorded 337. Both stations remained in the 'very poor' range.
Ghaziabad showed more concerning numbers. Vasundhara recorded 'severe' air quality with an AQI of 421, and Loni followed with 403. Sanjay Nagar and Indirapuram stations recorded AQIs of 346 and 335 respectively, placing them in the 'very poor' category.
Stage III GRAP Implemented Across NCR
The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) declared Stage III of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) across the National Capital Region on Friday. This preventive measure aims to stop further deterioration of air quality.
Under Stage III restrictions, construction work faces limitations. The plan also bans BS-IV diesel and BS-III petrol vehicles from plying in Delhi-NCR.
Weather Conditions Worsen Pollution
The Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM) reported that surface winds remained below 5 kmph throughout Friday. Wind direction shifted from west to north-east during the evening, but speeds stayed low. These calm conditions prevented proper dispersion of pollutants.
The CAQM stated that forecasts indicate Delhi's average AQI will likely breach the 400 mark in coming days. This would push the city into the 'severe' category. Slow wind speeds, stable atmospheric conditions, and unfavorable weather parameters contribute to this prediction.
Fog and Temperature Conditions
Friday morning brought dense fog to the region. Palam recorded minimum visibility of 150 meters at 7:30 AM, while Safdarjung reported similar conditions at 8 AM. Despite the poor visibility, flight operations continued without major disruptions.
The cold wave streak ended after five days, but temperatures remained low. The minimum temperature settled at 4.3 degrees Celsius, three notches below normal. Thursday had seen the lowest January temperature in three years at 2.9 degrees Celsius.
Maximum temperatures also stayed below normal at 22.5 degrees Celsius, compared to 19.5 degrees on Thursday.
Saturday Weather Forecast
Saturday is expected to bring a partly cloudy sky with shallow to moderate fog during morning hours. Surface winds will likely blow from the south-east at speeds around 5 kmph in the morning. Wind speeds may increase to about 8 kmph in the afternoon before slowing again to 5 kmph during evening and night.
The India Meteorological Department expects maximum temperatures between 21-23 degrees Celsius and minimum temperatures between 6-8 degrees Celsius on Saturday. The department has issued a yellow alert, anticipating dense fog in isolated areas.
